UPDATED 06:33 EDT / JULY 19 2011

NEWS

The Ultimate Mobile Industry Bullies… Wonder Who’s Leading?

A patent lawsuit a day keeps the threat-to-throne companies away—this is the mobile industry bullies’ creed nowadays.  Just the same, the tech community feels feverish when there is no headline on patent infringement being slapped by mobile companies onto each other, or moguls from outside attacking the mobile market players. I can’t actually think of an enterprise in today’s mobile industry that has not seen the headlines without the words patent of lawsuit neighboring it. These legal escapades have made courts crowded areas for technology classes. Here are some interesting stories on lawsuit tales, starring your favorite platforms, manufacturers and providers.

Google vs Oracle, Microsoft, Apple: Don’t be surprised that Oracle is also caught within the web of mobile lawsuits. Court cases are like music to Oracle’s ears. Today, they are battling with Google over infringement-related appeals following the search giant’s Android acquisition in 2005 and copyright concerns on Java. Oracle is also summoning Larry Page to personally appear before the courts, while asking for billions in a settlement. Speaking of Android, there is now an emerging coalition that aims to crush the top mobile commodity. Leading the pack are fierce rivals Apple, Microsoft and RIM. Drama overload, eh?

Apple vs Samsung, HTC: When the secretive Apple sued Samsung with allegations of the latter copying iPad designs, the largest Korean conglomerate fired back at Apple immediately. As the battle escalates to another level, Samsung now wishes to ban Apple products in the US. On the other hand, HTC shares tumble down after Apple, and for the second time, slapped complaints against them.

Google vs Paypal: When Android showed great interest in supporting Near Fields Communications, PayPal became furious and accused two ex-officials who are now working for Google of trade secrets theft.

Nokia vs Helferich: The Finnish phone makers will have to fly to Illinois and face Helferich over 7 counts of mobile phone patent infringements.

In many occasions, Oracle, following their successful hammering of SAP, is already a known bully of the IT sphere, looking for the tiniest gaps to pin down or possibly milk other companies.  However, Apple is treading the same path in the mobile industry—at the pinnacle intimidating those who will try to make them feel even an inch of insecurity. Parallel to this scenario is the trend when PC’s were still on the rise and Microsoft was the biggest bully of the day.

Obviously, patent infringement lawsuits are already becoming a business tactic more than fighting for intellectual property. There maybe little negativity that will loom around the names of the companies involved, but the publicity alone is already making the bully a winner. The public loves soap opera sagas being adopted into the real world—an anthology that they will follow until the bitter (or sweet) end. Not to mention, winning parties do not only receive more sympathy and power, they also siphon money from the losing end. And, when we speak of tech world wars, we’re counting millions and billions of dollars here. The fact that mobile industry is accelerating at an unparalleled pace means everyone wants a slice of this cake.


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